My OLP has been totally cured
Posted , 7 users are following.
I am a 66 year old male and have had OLP for well over 20 years. I broke a tooth on holiday in January and the US dentist replaced my mercury amalgam filling in a molar with a resin one and that got me thinking again that years ago I'd heard there can sometimes be a link between amalgam fillings and OLP. About a decade ago I'd mentioned it to my dentist who at the time dismissed the suggestion. So, I Googled it and, thanks to the expansion of information on the internet, found many medical and scientific papers suggesting there can sometimes be a link. I stress the word "sometimes;" the papers I read indicated that most OLP is not related to amalgam, but the best indicator is if the OLP lesions are in close proximity to the amalgam fillings, even then it's not conclusive. In my case, my OLP was 100% aligned with my numerous amalgam fillngs, which I've had for much of my life, thanks to less than perfect dental care in my childhood in the 1950's. Anyway, I emailed some of the papers to my dentist (I've been with the same practice for nearly 40 years), and made an appointment. After a 35 minute conversation he agreed to remove all my amalgam fillings and replace them with resin. This was done in four sessions: top left, bottom left, top right, bottom right, over a period from mid February to mid July. After the very first session, the OLP on the left side of my mouth calmed down significantly, still plenty of white patches, but the soreness and ulcers were gone within days, while it remained as bad as ever on the right side. After each session things improved further and now, ten days after the final session my OLP is gone. I can't believe the change in my life, after years of constant soreness, despair when Adcortyl was taken off the market, a decade of bitter steroid tablets under my tongue, suddenly it has all gone. I hope my story may be of help to some others out there, but I also don't wish to raise false hopes, so Google it yourself and, as I said, my understanding is that this only applies in a few cases and the best indicator is if the lesions closely aline with the mercury amalgam fillings; the only proof is if you remove the amalgam and the OLP goes away.
0 likes, 10 replies
sheila_j123 michael05552
Posted
Hi
That's an awful long time to have been suffering with OLP. I don't know how you have coped with it all them years. I'm so pleased you have finally got rid of it , that's really good news. I am 65 and only just started with OLP and LP and its been driving me mad ,the steroid cream hasn't worked for the itching so I now use calomime lotion .went to the doctors this morning and she gave me a script for a steroid mouthwash, I've only used twice thus far and already my mouth seems a lot better. The testing time for me is when I brush my teeth later, even though I use a paste with allow Vera in it , it still hurts but not as much as when I use ordinary paste . Time will tell
Good luck and may you stay free from OLP
michael05552 sheila_j123
Posted
Thanks for the kind words. On the toothpaste front I was advised years ago to only choose one that did not contain Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), which I understand is the stuff that makes it foamy, and to only put a small amount on the toothbrush. I must say that was more comfortable, although it didn't do anything to help the OLP.
sheila_j123 michael05552
Posted
Yes I have tried several pastes but they all really sting ,the only thing that didn't sting is using bicarb , but I never feel like my mouth is fresh so just have to put up with it .Thanks for your welcome reply Take care
annc68 michael05552
Posted
I was advised to use a sonic toothbrush with a sensitive head and on the sensitive setting. It helped me enormously. My mouth felt cleaner and although it can't directly help the OLP a clean mouth helps the mouth rinses to work more effectively. Any toothpaste with mint in really stings. It's an iteresting point about fillings, I'm going to raise it with my dentist next time I go. As you say just because something works for one doesn't mean it will work for all but anything that has helped is good to know and gives you hope!!
michael05552 annc68
Posted
Worther mentioning to your dentist. My dentist was still quite resistant, until I pointed out one of the most convincing pieces of research was published in the British Dental Journal in 2005, he then conceded the point. In my case all my OLP lesions were precisely aligned with the fillings, along the inside of the cheeks and both sides of the tongue and I had no lesions anywhere else. From what I understand that is the best indicator, but talking to a well-informed dentist is most important, not listening to one old sufferer who got lucky! This is a link to the research I mentioned.
http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v198/n6/full/4812183a.html?foxtrotcallback=true
annc68 michael05552
Posted
Michael
Thanks for the info. I've searched the internet and found the article. Not sure why it was deleted but as you say it's not definitive and varies from person to person. For suffers, esp over a long period, any info is most welcome! I do now have a dental problem that will likely result in most of my filinds being replaced anyway, so it will be interesting to find out.
Glad it's all gone so well for you.
gilly57338 annc68
Posted
michael05552 gilly57338
Posted
Best wishes for your trip to the dermatologist. Lichen Planus is horrible and I have been lucky to find the link to mercury amalgam fillings. But all I have read indicates there are only a few cases like mine and the best indicator is close alignment of the oral lesions to the fillings, which was 100% in my case. I had no LP anywhere other than precisely alongside the fillings.
donna18720 michael05552
Posted
I have an appt in Sept to have a dental patch allergy test done. I have to get records from my dentist as to what types of fillings , crowns and other dental work I have in my mouth, Then they are going to run an allergy test on my back over the course of a week to see if I react to any of it. I had never heard of this before, and I'm not sure I believe it or trust it. One of my biggest concerns is if they test me and I have a reaction couldn't this trigger a LP reponse on my back?
michael05552 donna18720
Posted
Best wishes I hope it works out. Did you read the scientific paper I linked to above (which is from the British Dental Journal, reporting on a study of 51 patients conducted by the University Dental Hospital of Manchester)? It says the patch test is not 100% definitive, but can be a guide. The paper says a good indicator is if the OLP lesions are close to the mercury amalgam fillings in your mouth. I my case all my lesions were in my cheeks and the side of the tongue, precisely aligned with my fillings, so that indicator was very strong for me and it has worked.